France : Macron announces increase in the minimum wage to monthly 100 Euro

After weeks of protests by the "yellow West" has announced, the President of France Emmanuel Macron further concessions: Among other things, the minimum wage in the coming year is to be raised to 100 euros per month, as he announced on Monday evening in a televised address. This is one of the main demands of the protest movement. Also should it be in Overtime, neither taxes nor social security contributions.

in Addition, the head of state announced relief for pensioners, with less than 2000 Euro per month: For you in 2019, were being exposed to the increase in the social charges, he said. Macron said he'll be taking over for the current crisis a "part of the responsibility". The measures relate to information provided by the television channel, TF1, about two million households in France.

After renewed violent riots and violence of the protest movement of the "Yellow vests" at the weekend, the President was under pressure to act. According to observers, it is the worst crisis since Macrons took office in may 2017.

On Saturday left more than 100,000 people took to the streets to demonstrate with at least 10,000 in the capital for more tax justice. It was the fourth weekend in a row, the movement of the "Yellow vests" had called in a large scale protests.

Macron had received on Monday morning, top representatives from politics and the economy in the Élyséepalast. The President wanted to vote at the Meeting with representatives of the major trade unions, the employers, as well as the President of the national Assembly and the Senate, and suggestions to hear what answers it can give to the ongoing protests of the "Yellow vests".

In the past week, Macron had held back with public appearances, striking. Instead, he sent it to the Prime Minister Édourad Philippe. The call for the President's reply was, meanwhile, getting louder and louder.

It is already foreseeable that the concessions Macrons and the center of government will not be enough of Premier Philippe. The demands of the "yellow West" are now further - they call for more direct democracy. For this coming Saturday, there are already calls for protests.

restructuring of public finances is in question

Billions of tax and tax relief are likely to France. Actually, the French had promised to restore the public finances and the Maastricht deficit limit of three percent of the economy to comply with the performance permanently.

France is now threatening, once again, the Three-percent threshold does not comply with. So far, the planning for 2019, provides for a budget deficit of 2.8 percent of economic output. For the first time since 2007, France was in the year 2017, with a value of 2.6 percent below the threshold.

On Monday, the Banque de France, a halving of the predicted growth rate of the gross domestic product for the fourth quarter. This deck is now only 0.2 percent. Reason for the impact of the protests of the "Yellow vests". "In November, the current movement has influenced the industrial production in various sectors," it said.

economy Minister Bruno Le Maire warned that, in the French station RTL that the protests could spook foreign investors. "I see the impact the foreigners, obviously this is not good for the attractiveness of our country", - said the Minister. "Now it is important that we end this crisis and a just peace, and harmony between the French."

yellow West, in France, Expensive destruction

The protest movement of the "Yellow West" had formed in the middle of November due to planned tax increases on fuel. This project has put the center of government due to the week-long protests, in the meantime, on ice. The demands of the protesters varied, however, quickly much more from tax cuts over more spending power to withdraw Macrons. (AFP/dpa)